In my personal opinion, it is not advisable for a student who has just graduated from university with an undergraduate degree to go into doing an MBA without any working experience. I have two reasons for saying this and bear with me even if you do not agree. You are welcome to share your opinions by leaving your comments.
One of my reason for not agreeing to immediately pursuing an MBA is because one would not be able to appreciate meaningfully the discussions thrown around the table. Not only are they unable to appreciate it fully, they may not be able to share and participate for the benefit of other MBA students too. You see, without any real world working experience, you can never fully understand what it is like in the real world. You may be able to answer your thesis and workgroup discussions with perfect textbook answers, but they may not be how it works in the real rat race of a corporate world.
Although there may be a perception that people who have been in the workforce for a long period of time aren’t bringing fresh perspectives to the table whilst newbies may be able to inject useful insights, it still remains to be seen that this is really so. At least for those who have been there and done that in the corporate world, they have a better sense of whether something might work or not. They know the factors that come with bringing a decision to pass in a boardroom, the expectations of shareholders, the issues faced by management and the concerns of the finance director, to quote a few examples. These are invalueable experiences that cannot be learned or bought if you have not gone through the full cycle of how it works in any given company.
A second reason that I do not agree to fresh graduates moving on to get their MBAs these days is because of their expectations when it comes to seeking employment that pays them a premium for their hard-earned MBA. The job market these days is rather soft and more often than not, employers do not see the value-add of an MBA earned by a fresh graduate. Therefore, the MBA does not mean a better or smarter employee. Why would a company pay a premium for someone who’s starting out fresh with a little bit more knowledge than the rest (on paper at least), that has yet to be proven?
Many people have the notion that since every other person has a bachelor’s degree, an MBA would set you apart and give you a better chance in nailing the job. True. But if you expect a premium to come with it, then it just may not happen and your plans may just backfire. This may be made even worse in times of soft job markets where employers have the upper hands and are calling the shots.
So if your goal is to do an MBA, consider doing it only when you have gained some working experience. You will be more engaged and perhaps benefit more from your peers. One other advantage is that you can possibly apply for either a grant or an all paid for MBA by your company! Many firms offer them these days, so why not make use of such benefits?
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
it is advisable to have at least 5 working years before trying for MBA
if not its harder to relate to the studies
Ditto, totally agree on your view there…